Top 50 Gastro Recipes: The Treby Arms - Carrot Cake

Head chef Anton Piotrowski's recipe for his iconic carrot cake.

Ingredients:

For the cake

  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 250g grated carrot
  • 50g walnuts
  • 50g pecan nuts
  • 150g rapeseed oil
  • 2x medium eggs
  • 1 x vanilla pod

For the soil

  • 165g white chocolate
  • 45g cocoa powder
  • 38g plain flour

For the frosting

  • 350g cream cheese
  • 175g icing sugar
  • Juice and zest of 1 x orange

Decoration

  • 8 x baby carrots with top
  • 25g popping candy

Method:

  • Pre-heat oven to 180c.
  • Sieve flour, allspice, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and cinnamon together.
  • Add the grated carrot, sugar and nuts.
  • In a bowl mix together eggs, rapeseed oil and vanilla pod to make a batter.
  • Add all the ingredients together.
  • Butter the moulds, fill and bake in oven at 180C for 19 mins.
  • In a small saucepan, caramelise the white chocolate until golden brown
  • Add sieved cocoa powder and flour, to make the soil.
  • Place on a tray to dry.
  • Whisk the cream cheese, orange juice & zest and icing sugar until smooth.

Note: any citrus fruit can be used: lime, lemon or orange.

  • Cut the carrot cake in half and place the bottom half into the terracotta plant pots.
  • Top with the cream cheese and popping candy.
  • Place the top half of the carrot cake on top and repeat the process.
  • Top with chocolate soil and a peeled baby carrot.